Railway-odometer.



J. K. STEWART.

RAILWAY- ODOMETBR APPLICATION FILED AUG.16, 1913.

1 {114,410. Patentedflct. 20, 1914.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN K. STEWART,

OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO STEWART-WARNER SPEED-- OMETER CORPORATION, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF VIRGINIA.

RAILWAY-OD OMETER. 1

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 20, 1914.

Application filed August 16, 1913. Serial No. 785,058.

The purpose of this mvention is to provide a revolution counter and actuating means therefor adapted to be carried on the end of a car axle within the usual axle box.

It consists of the features and elements ,described and shown in the drawings as (indicated by the claims.

In the drawings :-Figure 1 is an interior view of acar axle box showing a side elevation of the device which is the subject of this invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken as'indicated at line 22 on Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail view partly in section showing only the counter train and its, accompanyiu g gearing within its carrying frame. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail section taken as indicated at line 4-4 on Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a detail section taken as indicated at line 5-5 on Fig. 4:. Fig. 6 is a developed sectional view taken as indicated at line 6-6 on Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is a detail section taken as indicated at line 77 on Fig. 4.

The construction which is peculiar to this device is especially designed to protect the comparatively delicate mechanism of the counter train from any possible injury by reason of rough handling of the device in its position in the car axle box.' For this reason the entire counter train with its accompanying gearing is compactly carried in a frame or casing, 1, the dial wheels, 2, being coaxially alined and inclosed within the smaller cylindrical portion, 1 of the recess or socket bored in the end of the car axle, A. A conical flanged ring, 4, is fixed permanently to the end of the axle by means frame whichis designed to be inserted into a 4, is just sufficient to admit the flange, 1", of

latter the spring dogs, 5, are beveled so as to be forced back' into their pockets in the flange, 1', when the frame, 1, is ressed firmly in position; upon its arriving in position the dogs, 5, are again protruded by their springs for frictionally gripping the ring, 1, to stop the frame against rotation in the car axle, that is, to cause it to rotate bodily with said axle. I

The counter mechanism is completely inclosed by the casing, 1, with the. exce tion of a short portion of the initial sha t, 3,

which projects from the outer or exposed end of the frame, 1, when the latter is ina I the frame; and to permit insertion of the I serted in position in the car axle as shown in Fig. 2. A heavy cap, 6, is rotatably mounted upon the exposed portion, 1, of the frame, 1, preferably by means of ballbearings, 7, as indicated, with the outer ball race, '7. fixed in the cap and the inner race, 7". made tight on the portion, 1, of the frame This cap, 6, is designed to be held against rotation within the ear axle box by means of a radially extending tail, 6, which may engage a wall of the box, as indicated in Fig. 1. Operative connection between this rotatably mounted cap, 6, and the mechanism of the counter train housed in the frame, 1, is provided in the form of a slot, 6*, positioned to engage a cross pin, 3, in the extending end of the initial shaft, 3. Preferably, the portion, 1, of the frame is cylindrical and the shaft, 3, is axially disposed within it, while the cap, 6, is mounted upon this portion of the frame so as to rotate about the axis of the shaft, 3, and the connecting slot, 6*, is positioned to pass through said axis of rotation so that the r0- tation of the frame, 1, with respect to the cap, (3, is communicated to the counter: train, in the simplest possiblemarmer.

The construction-0.. the cap-and its ballbearing mountings is sufficiently heavy to withstand hard usage, but even if this portion of the device should become strained or distorted such strain would not be communicated to the counter train through the comparatively loose connection of said train with the cap at the slot, 6. For this particular use the counter train need not be geared to register miles of travel but will serve its purpose sufliciently if it indicates in one direction fi'om bein subtracted of flat stool: and are intrelv laid the gear, 8, the

from the record of travel in llie opposite direction. For this'purpose there is provided'the gearing sno vn in deteilin Figs. 3 to 'Z, inclusive. "llhis geerin comprises an initial or drivinggeer, 3 xed tothe shaft, 3, and two driven gears, 8 and 9, loosely mounted on the shaft, 10, of the first Wheel, 10", of the countertrain proper. The'driven gear, 9, is connected with the driving gear, 3 through a.- single idler-pinion, 11, While the driven gear, 8, is connected to the said driving gear, 3', through aseries of two idler pinions, l2 and 13; thus the two driven gears, 8 and 9, eresiniultaneously revolved in opposite directions. Each of said gears, 8 and 9,0erries a ratchet dog, 1%, adapted to engage a notch, 10*, in the shaft, 10, whereby the shaft, 10, isndepted to be driven in one direction. onl andonly by one of the two gears at a time.- Thus, if when the initial shaft, 3, is rotated in one direction the shaft, 16, is driven by gear, 9, will revolve idly in the reverse direction, 'bntnpon reversal of the direction of rotation of the initial sh 3ft, 3 direction of rotation of will be reversed rendering this gear inoperetive upon the shaft, 10, but the Sll u? ous reversal of the direction of rotation of the gear, 9, will bring its driving dog, into engagement with the notch, 18', i:

shaft, 10, and the shaft, 1 3 n'ii continue to rotate in its original (i won, driven through the gear, T e rstcheis,

pressions or recesses in the i no spective gears, 8 and 9, so :M to com with the geneml surface of ti" small knee spring, E F, is inseneo in each of the recesses h' i; of the rate entire assemblage hecoi l. -fthe mounting of 8 their rai'ohot-h' g p each other, ind -ig. As may be seen from while meshing w lrivi' and with the ori en 9, st the plane of th I interference with h of he letter.

L Since the s lly mount-ed in the ireine, i, it does not on with the shaft, 3, and it'heeoines oossi. to shows a position for the long idiezrpinion, at which it will mesh ivil'h'the drivin gs 3, but Will avoid the tooth of L 4 8 and i), even though the letter the senies. l v communicated from this long pin the gear, 8, through the idler, 13, and the resulti: opposite rotslion oi the two gears, 9, is obtained as above described.

is shown in Figs 2 and 3, the spring dogs, 5, are beveled two Ways, both to permit insertion of the device and to permit its withdrawal from the retaining ring, 1. Preferably, however, the spi'ings by Which these dogs are protruded are to insure suihcient frictional engagement of the dogs with the ring, and, as a result, it will require considerable force to withdrew the device from the ring, 4-. For this purpose, therefore, thecenter of the cap, 6, is provided with 2: lug, or eye, 15, formed to be easily engaged by any suitable hooked tool to facilitate the removal of the devioet'roin the end of the axle.

l. cla'im: I l, A railway odometer comprising a frame, a counter train mounted therein, a cop roietahlv connected with said frame, said cap and counter train having loosely cooperating features whereby the relative rotation of the cap and frame is communicated to said counter train, for attaching the frame to the end. of a, cor axle, and means for stopping the cap against rotation in the axle i odometer comprising a 1x31- train mounted therein, havinitr rotary element, cap mounted me for roietion about the a fi -nest of the counter train, itiol element having loosely stores whereby the relative cno on the frame is conlnuni enter tr means for securb9 the end {1 our axle, and e cap rotation odometer cznnncising a said train is fixed to the means on the seid to cooperate therewith for i'rso to said axle, rohe frame end dimen ill attaching said cap and coo muting"- ncin which {in lie-mg v 1 ..tures whereby the relative rotation of the exp and Frame is communicated to said counter train, and me for stopping the (up against rotation in the isle cox.

i. 5 iilwa vodoincterconiprisingoframe, a coun er train a. series mounted dial wheels, eid counter train hecruried in the mfo frame and that portion of m-o s iich carries; the said dial wheels fei ned LO occupy :1 socket in the end of a cor axis, the. remainder of s portion of said frame, said cap made Quite.

of chi-axially said ironic extending beyond the end of such axle, a rotetshiy inounterl'on szudf frame again-51: rotation on the Axle, andand H18 counter Lmin haying loosely c0- opm'nting mimics whewby the rdaiive r0- t'utinn of the cap and frame is communicated to said 0011111101 'nin, means for securing the count ,1 train axially p0 ioned Wi h respect to said mile a cnp'in which the said frame is 15 mounted for rotation about the axis 0?" said iniii-ia eiement of the counter train, and means for stopping; said cap :2 11st imba- I'L-JLMLS for stopping; the cap against rotation 1 tion in the c9 1 axlebox :19 box. I In testnnon whereof I hm" hm Lilia set 3 112E011 with a (5211' axle, milmy hand at Chicaga, 111111015, flis 13th day El securer? t0 one end thereofl of A1:gust,l913.

aim having an iniliama in which said 7 flu said init ha w lnessesz nebeing fixed to M element of the 5 FEHLHAEE; 

